Erian Epic
by Lieutenant Kitsurubami
Summary: I can't really justify it with a summary yet. I've heard it's good, though, so please read it.
1. Prelude

The rider entered the gate just as the clock tower struck midnight. The night guard commanded in a surly voice, "Who goes there? Speak!" The figure on horseback stopped, and turned slowly to face him. The guard could only stare at one thing: the glowing red eyes studding the rider's invisible face. He stammered, his voice suddenly high and wavering, "W-what is y-your business here?"

The figure's only response was a sudden movement and a sharp light, and the guard slumped to the ground, his body devoid of blood.

* * *

The next jab brought Link off balance, causing him to drop his sword to the side. He failed to parry the following slash that found his throat. "Athas, you sly dog!" he growled at the figure holding the sword to his throat. In response, Athas only shrugged and lifted the wooden pole from his friend's skin. "Best two out of three?" he suggested. Link laughed. "You're on," he replied. He moved his legs upward, then brought them down quickly enough to hop up and land on his feet. He retrieved his wooden sword, and went through a few stretching and breathing exercises. Athas did the same, and after a moment questioned Link, "Ready?"

Link stared into Athas's ice-blue eyes and nodded curtly. The two young men faced each other, and both bowed, each keeping his eyes on their opponent. Quite a crowd had accumulated, and Link's heart skipped a beat when he saw Kari, his crush, in the gathering. She winked and smiled at him. He shifted his already sweaty grip on his pole nervously.

"Go!" Athas yelled. Link leaped into action immediately. He dropped into a roll around his compatriot, parried the expected thrust, and spun about fiercely, and fell into a series of slashes and stabs. Athas, forced to the ground, was making fierce effort not to let the pole touch him. Link forced Athas's blade far to the side and was about to make the finishing blow when he looked to the side- at Kari. She smiled again and waved a little, and Link suddenly found himself on the ground, his head exploding in excruciating pain. He could feel himself coughing up blood. He heard someone female in the crowd scream "Somebody help him!" The last thing he saw before fading into blackness was Athas's concerned face.

* * *

Link opened his eyes that evening and immediately blushed. He saw that he was in Kari's room... In Kari's bed! He felt a sensation, lifted the sheets, and groaned.

He was naked. He jumped when a feminine voice next to him whispered, "Your clothes are in the bathroom," Startled, he slowly turned his head, and felt his face burning when he saw who it was.

"Don't be embarrassed, I won't look!" Kari said with a giggle that could only mean that she already had. She obediently looked away as Link sidled out of the bed, holding the sheets to cover himself. She let out a giggle, and Link's gaze shot in her direction. He saw that there was a mirror in front of her, looking out at the whole room. She blushed when she saw Link glaring at her in the mirror, and threw a blanket over the mirror. "Sorry," she said, "I couldn't help it!"

Link snorted incredulously, dropped the sheets and used his crossed hands instead. He hurriedly walked to the adjoining room, spun about, then slammed and locked the door. He walked to the middle of the tile floor and fell to his knees, making no move to conceal his manliness. His head was still pounding, and he could taste the blood remaining in his mouth. He got up rather shakily, and slipped on the imperial clothes left for him on the sink. He sat on it for a moment, rubbing his face. He wearily stepped off and began to wash his face in the ice-cold water. He sighed, relieved. He walked up to the door, and unlocked it. He took a deep breath, opened the door, looked out, and quickly closed the door again. He didn't even have to look in a mirror to know that his face was brighter red than a cherry. Kari was sitting on the bed, scantily clad, obviously waiting for him. He looked around the lavatory, for a window or conveniently placed vent, but in vain. He groaned, and opened the door to face his now-lover's embrace.

* * *

The dark rider strode into the tavern, right up to the tubby bartender. Once the bartender looked into the deep, red eyes, he recieved a telepathic message. He pointed a sausage-like finger to a door on the side of the room, and died, his exposed entrails wrapped around his neck. An off-duty watchman moved for the shadowy figure, and the last thing he saw was the rider quickly moving its arm before he fell apart, sliced in eight pieces. No more moved to stop it, and they just watched with a chilling silence as it slipped into the portal.

* * *

Link fled the room, awkwardly stuffing his shirt onto his torso. Kari opened the door, naked, and yelled after him to return. Link turned around the corner, and bumped into Athas, carrying a food tray, and knocking him over. The tray's contents splatted all over the wall. Mashed potatoes, Link observed. Athas staggered up, and glared at Link. I assume you're better, then," he said, exhausted. "Where's the fire?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Athas, remember what Elder Matis said about overusing clichés... Anyway, you don't want to know."

Athas dived into Link, knocking him over. He gave the blonde a noogie and said, "It has to do with Kari, doesn't it? Did she finally make her move?" Link blushed. "Well... Uh... Kinda..." Athas jumped up and exclaimed, "HA! I knew it! So, how was it?"

"How was what?" questioned a deep voice behind both startled boys, causing them to turn around. "Uh..." Link stammered. Erik Sarrison, Athas's older brother, was standing before them, arms crossed over his muscular chest. Erik told them, "You two should get to bed before Matis finds you out here after curfew. You remember what happened last time! But before you go, clean up this mess. She would know it was you, Athas. Now get moving!"

Link and his companion needed not be told twice. They went into a cleaning fury, and finished before Erik had even left the hallway. They scooped the trash into a nearby bin, and ran to bed.

* * *

What do you think? R&R! 


	2. Act 1, Chapter 1

Link woke slowly to sunshine on his face. He got up slowly – his head still throbbed where Athas hit him. He looked around the room, familiar with the clutter. It wasn't large, about ten feet square, so he remembered everything about where he tossed stuff when he was done with them. Though he was messy, Link had an amazing memory. He noticed two things straight away – one, a letter on the table from Athas, probably a list of chores, but the other was less obvious.

His sword was gone. He didn't display it in the open, as many trainees did, proud of their weapons. It was half covered on a rack behind the door. Nobody unfamiliar with the room could have stolen it without waking him with their searching. _It's probably just Athas,_ he thought, _playing another prank._ He would worry about it later. He got up, mindful of the aches in his body, and turned his attention to his head. There was a small scab where Athas hit him, but the pain… the pain was unreal._ There's no way a wooden trainee's sword could have caused this much pain,_ Link cringed. He put the royal blue and black tunic on and walked down the hall to the washroom.

Under close examination, there was far more blood than he had realized. It was cleared away around the gash, leaving the small scab, but there was a trail of congealed blood running down the back of his neck, about two inches wide. _How did they not notice this? How did_ I _not notice this?_ he wondered. He washed it off, and then walked back to his room. He looked to the letter, and decided he could feign amnesia to get out of doing chores for a few hours. After the head trauma, could anyone blame him? He ignored the letter and started looking for the sword. His memory might be above average, but there was the chance he could have forgotten where he put it, especially since almost all his thoughts were directed at Kari the previous night.

After a half hour of fruitless searching, he decided to ask Athas if he took it. He walked down the hall, sidling silently past Kari's door. It wasn't as if he didn't love her, but it was taboo for a trainee to have anything more than a friend. He planned, when he graduated, to march up the stone steps to the dormitory area, walk into her room, embrace her, not moving or talking, just standing there with her for minutes, hours, days, months, years… For all of eternity. He forced his thoughts away from her just in time to see he was about to fall down two flights of stairs. He stopped himself barely half a foot away. _No wonder Athas calls me Oblivious all the time. I must look like a fool when that happens. _

He turned himself around, turned the corner and knocked on Athas' door. He heard somebody call his name, and turned to see Erik running toward him. When he caught up, out of breath, he gasped, "Link! Why aren't you in the throne room? You had an appointment with the King two hours ago! Didn't you read the letter on your table?"

Link stammered some excuse involving amnesia and his sword. Erik cut him off, saying, "Yeah, yeah, you can explain all this later, but now you have to get to the throne room! _Now_!" With the last word, he pushed Link in the direction of the stairs. Link ran down them, three at a time. He raced through the hall and into the garden, a shortcut he and Athas found many years ago. The garden was stunningly beautiful, and Link's thoughts drifted to Kari. He mentally slapped himself, and ran on.

When he finally got to the throne room, he saw a large crowd, thoroughly bored. There was a small, carpeted path in the middle, which Link walked swiftly through. When he reached the king, he kneeled. It was obvious that King Tristan, though virtuous at heart, was well on his way to impatience. He stifled a yawn, then said, "You may rise, Link. I hope that when I sent Erik to get you that he did not interrupt the activity you thought more important than an appointment with me." There was a scolding, but not unkind, edge to his voice. Link obediently got up, and cast his gaze downward in shame. He started with the same excuse he used with Erik, but Tristan immediately interrupted him. "No, don't worry about it any longer. The important thing is that you're here. I believe you noticed your sword was missing this morning?"

Link nodded, and then it hit him. _How could I forget about_ that? _It's the most important thing that happens to a Trainee!_

He heard the voice of Elder Matis behind the King, whispering, "_My lord, you remember what I said about this part of the ceremony being a huge cliché? I really must emphasize it now…"_

Ignoring him, the king moved on. "…Well then, as you almost certainly remember, this means you graduate today. Instead of a wooden training sword, you get a steel longsword..."

"…_Really, my liege, almost every fantasy story that has ever existed has something like this in it…_"

"…which you will only use for good, in your new rank, Knight of Hyrule…"

"…_And why is it always when they graduate? Why doesn't anybody try something new, like when they buy a house, or get married…?_"

"Come forth, Link, and assume your duty!"

* * *

The dark rider walked through the dungeon, and stopped when he reached the cell at the end. He unlocked the door, which creaked open. The occupant looked up, and began screaming at him. He said nothing, only stared into the occupant's eyes. His body dissipated into mist, which absorbed into the prisoner's head. The human stopped screaming immediately, and slowly walked out of the cell.

* * *

When Link finally got past the congratulating crowd, he ran through the garden and hallway, sped up the stairs, and stopped outside Kari's door. He knocked, and when he didn't hear an answer, he burst inside. Kari was standing at the window, looking over the hills. He ran up and hugged her, until he felt a sharp stinging in his abdomen. He looked down, and the next moments came in flashes.

_-Kari's hand holding the dagger-_

_-Blood, so much blood-_

_-Looking up, Kari's red eyes… but aren't they blue?-_

_-Darkness clouding his vision-_

_-Blood and pain-_

_-Kari laughing, but not Kari, darker, evil-_

_-Can hardly see anymore-_

_-Too much blood, I'm dying-_

_-Mist coming out of Kari's head, flowing through the window-_

_-Almost black-_

_-Blood-_

_-Kari collapsing heavily-_

_-Pain-_

_-Darkness-_


End file.
